7 ms·

The Valjoux 7750 chronograph movement

87 points by Pamar 2y ago

GhostVII 2y ago
If you are interested in more about how mechanical watches work in general this is a pretty amazing set of animations: https://ciechanow.ski/mechanical-watch/ https://ciechanow.ski/mechanical-watch/
- davidpfarrell 2y ago
  That page is fricken fantastic thank you for sharing!
  - ggm 2y ago
    Ditto. Fantastic site.
- throw0101b 2y ago
  > https://ciechanow.ski/mechanical-watch/ https://ciechanow.ski/mechanical-watch/ From when it was released, May 2022: * https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31261533 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31261533 GPS, from January 2022: * https://ciechanow.ski/gps/ https://ciechanow.ski/gps/ * https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29981188 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29981188 Internal Combustion Engine, 2021: * https://ciechanow.ski/internal-combustion-engine/ https://ciechanow.ski/internal-combustion-engine/ * https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26991300 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26991300 Cameras and Lenses: * https://ciechanow.ski/cameras-and-lenses/ https://ciechanow.ski/cameras-and-lenses/ * https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25357315 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25357315 Bicycle: * https://ciechanow.ski/bicycle/ https://ciechanow.ski/bicycle/ * https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35343495 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35343495 Regular (re-)submissions: * https://news.ycombinator.com/from?site=ciechanow.ski https://news.ycombinator.com/from?site=ciechanow.ski
- FredPret 2y ago
  That guy has unbelievable infographic pages on all sorts of subjects: https://ciechanow.ski/archives/ https://ciechanow.ski/archives/
bwanab 2y ago
I just have to point out that the Vallée de Joux (namesake of the Valjoux movement) is a beautiful spot in Switzerland that is located such that very few foreign tourists ever go there. Definitely worth the visit.
- davidgay 2y ago
  Just avoid going there in winter, though... (https://weatherspark.com/compare/y/53443~286/Comparison-of-the-Average-Weather-in-Le-Chenit-and-Haines https://weatherspark.com/compare/y/53443~286/Comparison-of-t...)
  - deleted 2y ago
    [deleted]
userbinator 2y ago
The ETA 2836 is another very common self-winding movement.
jordanb 2y ago
Dunno how it can be considered a "chronograph" when it has a lever escapement.
- readams 2y ago
  A chronograph is any watch with a stopwatch complication. I'm really not sure what your concern with a lever escapement is, as this is used on almost all mechanical watches.
  - jordanb 2y ago
    A chronograph has a chronograph or detent escapement. The purpose of which is eliminate the sliding friction in the escapement and variability caused by viscosity change in lubrication with temperature. I never heard that a stopwatch makes a watch a chronometer. That sounds like a marketing gimmick.
    - tass 2y ago
      Ahould your original post read “chronometer” instead of chronograph? I also understand chronograph to mean a stopwatch complication, which is different from a chronometer certification.
      - jordanb 2y ago
        Doh yeah. It's too late.
      - DeathArrow 2y ago
        Even chronometer just means it passes chronometer specification, which for Swiss watches means that the movement is certified by COSC. It does not imply a particular kind of escapement. I have a Certina with ETA 2824-II and a Longines with ETA 2892-A2 which are inside COSC specs but not certified as chronometers.
    - htthbjk 2y ago
      [flagged]
DeathArrow 2y ago
7750 and its clones like Sellita SW500 are some the workhorses of the watch industry. But kind of boring since they are omnipresent in chronographs. I'd prefer a chronograph with column wheel.
- Leyledorp 2y ago
  Column-wheel chronographs generally offer a smoother, lighter operation than cam-action chronographs, but the chronograph sub-complication I'm most interested in is the vertical clutch. https://revolutionwatch.com/vertical-clutch-chronographs/ https://revolutionwatch.com/vertical-clutch-chronographs/
rustcleaner 2y ago
I want to buy a 7751 movement, dial, hands, case, and band, and assemble my next watch. I have a Hamilton with a 7750 in it. It's about 100 parts if disassembled, and they need service about every half-decade (tear down, clean, lube, reassemble).
yobbo 2y ago
Slightly off-topic; but does anyone know legitimate reasons why Seiko spring-drive-like movements are either very expensive or don't exist? And any patents should have expired by now. A spring-drive movement works by electro-magnetically braking and regulating a clockwork that is driven by a self-winding spring. The electro-magnetic brake is controlled by a quartz-clock. This means a watch with a smooth sweep, powerful drive, and quartz accuracy. It seems it would require fewer parts and less precision apart from the circuit itself, which shouldn't be too different from other quartz movements?
- aerostable_slug 2y ago
  High-end watch people generally eschew quartz movements and anything resembling them. The occasional exceptions are for watches like the Omega Speedmaster X33 and Breitling Emergency, and even then many watch people don't want anything to do with them. I simply don't think the market would support the investment needed to pump out these movements at scale for a new player.

87 points by Pamar 2y ago

If you are interested in more about how mechanical watches work in general this is a pretty amazing set of animations: https://ciechanow.ski/mechanical-watch/ https://ciechanow.ski/mechanical-watch/

davidpfarrell 2y ago
That page is fricken fantastic thank you for sharing!
- ggm 2y ago
  Ditto. Fantastic site.
throw0101b 2y ago
> https://ciechanow.ski/mechanical-watch/ https://ciechanow.ski/mechanical-watch/ From when it was released, May 2022: * https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31261533 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31261533 GPS, from January 2022: * https://ciechanow.ski/gps/ https://ciechanow.ski/gps/ * https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29981188 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29981188 Internal Combustion Engine, 2021: * https://ciechanow.ski/internal-combustion-engine/ https://ciechanow.ski/internal-combustion-engine/ * https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26991300 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26991300 Cameras and Lenses: * https://ciechanow.ski/cameras-and-lenses/ https://ciechanow.ski/cameras-and-lenses/ * https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25357315 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25357315 Bicycle: * https://ciechanow.ski/bicycle/ https://ciechanow.ski/bicycle/ * https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35343495 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35343495 Regular (re-)submissions: * https://news.ycombinator.com/from?site=ciechanow.ski https://news.ycombinator.com/from?site=ciechanow.ski
FredPret 2y ago
That guy has unbelievable infographic pages on all sorts of subjects: https://ciechanow.ski/archives/ https://ciechanow.ski/archives/

bwanab 2y ago

I just have to point out that the Vallée de Joux (namesake of the Valjoux movement) is a beautiful spot in Switzerland that is located such that very few foreign tourists ever go there. Definitely worth the visit.

davidgay 2y ago
Just avoid going there in winter, though... (https://weatherspark.com/compare/y/53443~286/Comparison-of-the-Average-Weather-in-Le-Chenit-and-Haines https://weatherspark.com/compare/y/53443~286/Comparison-of-t...)
- deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]

userbinator 2y ago

The ETA 2836 is another very common self-winding movement.

jordanb 2y ago

Dunno how it can be considered a "chronograph" when it has a lever escapement.

readams 2y ago
A chronograph is any watch with a stopwatch complication. I'm really not sure what your concern with a lever escapement is, as this is used on almost all mechanical watches.
- jordanb 2y ago
  A chronograph has a chronograph or detent escapement. The purpose of which is eliminate the sliding friction in the escapement and variability caused by viscosity change in lubrication with temperature. I never heard that a stopwatch makes a watch a chronometer. That sounds like a marketing gimmick.
  - tass 2y ago
    Ahould your original post read “chronometer” instead of chronograph? I also understand chronograph to mean a stopwatch complication, which is different from a chronometer certification.
    - jordanb 2y ago
      Doh yeah. It's too late.
    - DeathArrow 2y ago
      Even chronometer just means it passes chronometer specification, which for Swiss watches means that the movement is certified by COSC. It does not imply a particular kind of escapement. I have a Certina with ETA 2824-II and a Longines with ETA 2892-A2 which are inside COSC specs but not certified as chronometers.
  - htthbjk 2y ago
    [flagged]

DeathArrow 2y ago

7750 and its clones like Sellita SW500 are some the workhorses of the watch industry. But kind of boring since they are omnipresent in chronographs. I'd prefer a chronograph with column wheel.

Leyledorp 2y ago
Column-wheel chronographs generally offer a smoother, lighter operation than cam-action chronographs, but the chronograph sub-complication I'm most interested in is the vertical clutch. https://revolutionwatch.com/vertical-clutch-chronographs/ https://revolutionwatch.com/vertical-clutch-chronographs/

rustcleaner 2y ago

I want to buy a 7751 movement, dial, hands, case, and band, and assemble my next watch. I have a Hamilton with a 7750 in it. It's about 100 parts if disassembled, and they need service about every half-decade (tear down, clean, lube, reassemble).

yobbo 2y ago

Slightly off-topic; but does anyone know legitimate reasons why Seiko spring-drive-like movements are either very expensive or don't exist? And any patents should have expired by now. A spring-drive movement works by electro-magnetically braking and regulating a clockwork that is driven by a self-winding spring. The electro-magnetic brake is controlled by a quartz-clock. This means a watch with a smooth sweep, powerful drive, and quartz accuracy. It seems it would require fewer parts and less precision apart from the circuit itself, which shouldn't be too different from other quartz movements?

aerostable_slug 2y ago
High-end watch people generally eschew quartz movements and anything resembling them. The occasional exceptions are for watches like the Omega Speedmaster X33 and Breitling Emergency, and even then many watch people don't want anything to do with them. I simply don't think the market would support the investment needed to pump out these movements at scale for a new player.